


Come Monday Morning

by zarrati



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: F/M, post ep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-28
Updated: 2014-09-30
Packaged: 2018-02-19 07:49:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2380505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarrati/pseuds/zarrati
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Leslie and Ben got together at the end of "Eagleton"?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is based on the prompt "Eagleton AU in which they kiss/hook up at the end of that episode"

At the end of the wiffle ball game, Ben sauntered up to Leslie, who was busy putting away the loose wiffle balls and bats.

"Hey, Leslie," Ben said from behind her, apparently catching her off guard. She jumped slightly and dropped the bag in her hands, several wiffle balls spilling out and rolling onto the ground.

"Oh, damn it, I'm sorry," Ben quickly apologized, bending down to help her gather the scattered balls.

"No, it's okay. I just got a bit startled, that's all. Not your fault," she said flustered, embarrassed by her clumsiness in front of Ben.

"Yeah, but as a general rule, I probably shouldn't sneak up on people. They don't seem to like it too much," he responded with his patented lopsided grin that never failed to take Leslie's breath away.

"Oh, thanks," Leslie said as Ben placed the last of the balls that had gotten free back into the bag.

"No problem. Did you need help with anything else?" he asked eagerly, trying to come up with any excuse to prolong his time with her.

"Uhm, no, I think that's it. The coaches should have everything else under control."

Ben just nodded his head in response, their task completed, but neither wanting to leave just yet.

"So, uh, this really turned out great. I still can't believe that you did all of this so quickly," he told her, his voice filled with awe and admiration.

"Well, I really do have a great team, and thank you for approving the budget for this and helping out. You really didn't have to."

"Don't thank me. You were absolutely right, it's not fair to deny anyone entrance to a park just because they aren't from your town. These kids all deserved the opportunity to play together, and I wanted to do what I could to help," he said sheepishly, his hand rubbing the back of his head nervously.

Leslie smiled up at him at his sincerity. "But still, you've gone above and beyond what any other Assistant City Manager would do, and I really appreciate you-it," she recovered, her slip of the tongue causing a blush to rise in her cheeks.

"Well, what can I say? You do a lot of amazing work, Leslie, and you really care about this community. That's what makes you so special. I'm, uh, I'm glad that you decided to stay in Pawnee back when Eagleton offered you the job. Tom and I were checking out Lindsay's car earlier, and I'll tell ya, you could have been making a lot more money over there. You'd definitely never have to worry about budget cuts and state auditors trying to ruin your department," he finished with a smirk.

"Eh, state auditors aren't so bad," she responded with a small smile, nudging Ben playfully with her shoulder. "I know I could be making more money, and driving a fancy car, and attending town hall meetings with iPods in their gift bags, but my place is here. This is the kind of work that I want to do. I want to help kids enjoy their park, not kick them out of it. Pawnee is my home," she finished with a wistful smile.

"Pawnee is lucky to have you."

"Yeah?" she asked, looking up at him with a flirtatious smile on her face in response to his compliment.

"Yeah," he replied firmly, mirroring her facial expression.

The pair dropped their gazes to the ground, neither able to quite wipe the grins from their faces.

After a few moments of silence, Ben cleared his throat, shoving his hands in his pockets as he shuffled his feet nervously.

"So, uh, it's getting kind of late, and I was thinking about maybe taking Pawnee's favorite Deputy Director of the Parks Department out for a celebratory dinner at JJ's. You know, toast the success of the wiffle ball league, and maybe talk about some of the other ongoing park's projects?" He glanced over at her, noticing that her smile had fallen in response to his invitation. "But, you know, you don't have to if you don't want to. That's okay," he finished quickly, hoping that he was able to mask the disappointment in his voice.

"No, it's not that. It's just, uh, I kind of had plans already for tonight," she said apologetically, glancing over at him out of the corner of her eye.

"O-oh," he stuttered, clearing his throat, "uh, like a- like a date?"

Her head shot up at his question, and she looked at him sharply. "What? Oh, no, nothing like that," she laughed nervously. "Just, uh, Lindsay and I were gonna meet at Sullivan's. You know, try to catch up and bury the hatchet."

Ben visibly relaxed at her statement, his disappointment still evident, but not as obvious.

"Oh, that's good. I'm glad you two are going to try and reconcile everything. It's always a shame when things like this come between friends."

"Yeah," she agreed absentmindedly before letting out a soft chuckle. "Wow, a date. Haven't had one of those in a while. We don't all have Chris Traeger's trying to set us up," she teased, her infectious smile growing.

"Oh, please," he laughed, "don't even mention that. That date was pretty much a disaster from the start. I thought Chris would have known better than to set me up with a woman named Cindy. I don't always have the best track record with those," he joked lightly.

"Aww, come on, Wyatt. He said she was your type and everything."

"Yeah, but I guess my tastes have changed a bit. Tall brunettes just don't seem to do it for me anymore." I much prefer petite blonds, he wanted to say, but he knew that would be taking it way too far.

"Well, don't worry. I'm sure the perfect woman is out there somewhere."

"I'm sure she is," Ben responded, purposely fixing his gaze upon her. "Who knows, maybe I've already met her."

Leslie held his gaze, her heart racing at his words. "Maybe," she said softly, an almost imperceptible smile forming on her lips. "Hey, why don't you come with us? Grab a bite, have a few beers, maybe meet the Lindsay that I remember from five years ago?" she finished hopefully.

"Oh, uh, I don't know. I wouldn't want to intrude on your time together. It seems like you two have a lot to catch up on."

"Don't be silly. Lindsay was really impressed by what we did here today. I think she should meet the man responsible for making my dreams-my parks dreams come true." She reached out to gently wrap her fingers around his wrist. "Please," she looked up at him pleadingly, "I would really like for you to come."

Ben stared at his wrist for a moment, mesmerized by the how her hand looked grasping his, his skin on fire as it touched hers. He quickly composed himself, however, his dumbfounded expression changing into a genuine smile as his eyes moved to hers. "How can I refuse an offer like that? Sure, I would love to join you."

Leslie returned his smile tenfold, her hand still maintaining its grasp on him. "Really? Maybe I should come to you more like that when I'm asking for money for the department."

God, if only, he thought to himself, trying to swallow the lump building in his throat. "Don't push your luck, Leslie," he responded teasingly.

"Well, can't blame a girl for trying," she said with a small shrug of her shoulders, her eyes still sparkling.

"No, I guess I can't," he laughed in agreement. Looking around, he noticed that they were now the only two people left on the field, the sun starting to set. "Hey, so I hitched a ride over here with Tom, who apparently seems to have left me. Do you think I could catch a ride with you?"

"Of course," she agreed readily. Ben immediately missed the warmth of Leslie's skin on his as she dropped his hand to rummage through her purse for her keys. "I just need to drop the equipment back off at City Hall and set up Ron's birthday dinner," she said as she pulled out her keys and picked up the bag of wiffle balls. "Do you mind grabbing the wiffle ball bats?"

"Oh, 'course not," he replied quickly, taking the bats and following Leslie to her car.

After packing the equipment into her trunk, the pair settled into the car. "I just need to stop off and pick up Ron's steak and bacon before we go back," she told Ben as she started the car.

"Sure, no problem. I think it's really nice what you're doing for Ron. Of course, the messing with him has been fun to watch, but I'm sure he couldn't ask for a better birthday present. I'm more than willing to help you set anything up if you need it."

"Thank you. Once I get the food, all I really have to do is finish setting up the conference room. I have the television, DVD's, and the whiskey all back at the office already." Leslie shrugged her shoulders slightly, a small smile forming on her lips. "I don't know, I just love birthdays. It's a time to celebrate the people who mean so much to me. You just wait until it's your birthday, buddy. I'm thinking it will look like Comic-Con exploded. Tom will hate it. It'll be great," she smiled over at him, her eyes drifting back and forth between Ben and the road.

Ben laughed at her enthusiasm, thrilled that he was on her list of people special enough to throw a birthday party for. "I'll be looking forward to it."

The pair drove in companionable silence to City Hall, Leslie briefly stopping to pick up Ron's dinner.

"Alright, that should just about do it," Leslie commented half an hour later as she and Ben made the finishing touches to the room.

"Wow, this is quite a set up. He'll love it."

"You think?" she asked, going over to straighten the Mulligan's bib for the millionth time.

"Definitely. Locked inside of a room with a rare steak, bacon, whiskey, and war movies? I'm pretty sure that's Ron's idea of heaven," he smirked, Leslie softly chuckling.

"I thought so, too. Okay, so I'm going to go tell him that you and Chris want a meeting with us in this conference room. Hopefully, he'll come without much of a fight, but I might need you to place a decoy phone call if he doesn't believe me."

"Sounds good. I'll be in my office, so just shoot me a text if you need me. If not, come get me when you're ready to head over to Sullivan's."

"Alright."

As Ben turned to leave, Leslie quickly shot her hand out to grasp his elbow, turning him to face her once more.

"Thank you again for today. Not just with this, but the wiffle ball league, and the clean up, and just everything. I really don't know what I'd do without you," she said with a soft smile, her eyes filled with gratitude and shy uncertainty.

"Don't mention it," he told her quickly, trying to wave off her compliment.

"No, I'm serious. You've helped me so much since you came to Pawnee, and I'm just really happy to have you in my life," she said with a squeeze of her hand on his arm.

"Me too," he said softly, his gaze a mixture of warmth and something else that Leslie couldn't quite place. "Pawnee is really very special, and I think it's because of people like you. I have honestly never met anyone like you before, and I know that the world would be a much better place if we had a few more Leslie Knopes running around."

Leslie could feel her eyes water slightly at his compliment, spoken with so much sincerity that it made her curse Chris' rule with every fiber of her being. Her gaze flickered back and forth between Ben's eyes and mouth, Leslie unconsciously licking her lips. Neither was sure who moved first, but the couple felt themselves gradually drawn closer together, their heads on a slow path towards one another.

Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door that startled them apart, Leslie immediately dropping her hold on Ben's arm. Artie, the security guard, poked his head in to let Leslie know that he had arrived and was ready to watch the door whenever she needed.

"Okay, Artie, thanks," she said to him, her heart still racing. They just couldn't catch a break. First, Andy and April barging in on them during their encounter in Ben's living room, and now Artie the Guard.

The mood broken, Ben ran a quick hand through his hair before shoving them into his pockets. "Uhm, I'm just gonna go finish up some things in my office. I'll see you in a few?"

"Yeah, definitely," Leslie tried to respond nonchalantly, but even she knew that she failed miserably. As Ben left the room, Leslie let out a depressed sigh, briefly wondering why out of all of the people in this world, she had to fall for her boss' boss.

And this wasn't just some little crush, either. She was falling _hard_ , and she was certain that Ben felt the same way. Who else within City Hall would he want to date badly enough to ask Chris about the inter-government dating rules?

Sure, Ben had a nice face, awesome hair, great body, and an ass to die for, but she saw all of these things when he first came to Pawnee, and she still hated him. Well, hate might have been too strong of a word, but she _strongly_ disliked him. Over time, she saw that he wasn't just some stuck up state auditor who wanted to ruin her life; he was just a man with a job to do.

She wasn't quite sure when she started to like Ben as more than a colleague and friend, but it was probably a lot sooner than she realized, her mind so wrapped up in the harvest festival that she wasn't even aware of her own feelings. They had their moments of subtle flirting, but that's all it was, wasn't it?

When the reality hit that Ben might actually stay in Pawnee was when Leslie was forced to confront her feelings. Up until then, she knew that she had a crush, but what was the point? He was leaving soon, and she couldn't do long distance like that, she just knew it.

So when Ben told her that he might be staying in Pawnee permanently, it took all of her will power to not just scream out that he should stay here forever and never leave, but she couldn't do that. He needed to be the one to decide what was best for him, and she hoped that it was to stay. Her heart nearly stopped when he told her that he already made his decision: he was staying in Pawnee, and Leslie couldn't have been happier.

But then of course there was the current bane of her existence: Chris' rule against interoffice dating. With this newest roadblock also came the revelation that Ben liked her-- liked her enough to ask Chris about dating her. Of course, to make matters worse, the more time they spent together, the more she realized just how compatible they were, and her feelings grew even stronger.

So, maybe all of these interruptions were for the best. They were still getting to know each other, and it would be foolish of them to risk their jobs for something like a relationship that might not even work out.

Yes, this is all for the best, she kept telling herself, but after so long, even she was starting to doubt it.

After one more inspection of the room, Leslie made her way towards Ron's office, hoping that his birthday surprise would help lift her spirits. After all, she still had an evening of food and beer ahead of her, reconnecting with an old friend, and spending some time with a new one.  
  
If she couldn't be in a relationship with Ben, at least they were well on their way to a deep, meaningful friendship, and for now, that would have to do.

~*~*~*~*~

Well, that ended horribly, Ben thought to himself as he walked towards his office. He couldn't believe that he had been so foolish as to almost kiss Leslie in City Hall when anyone could have just walked in. Their jobs were at stake, for crying out loud.

But, God, he wanted her; probably more than he has ever wanted anyone else in his life. Of course, he was attracted to her physically. He was only human, after all, and she was a very beautiful, confident woman, but it was so much more than that.

She was inspirational, intelligent, headstrong, caring, loving, selfless, he could go on, and he couldn't remember ever feeling so strongly about someone in his entire life. During his time working for the state, he had a few serious girlfriends, but his months on the road always became too great of a strain on the relationship, and he knew for a fact that he wouldn't have given up his job to stay with any of them.

And now, here he was, a former state auditor turned Pawnee city employee, all for a woman named Leslie Knope-- a woman who he technically wasn't even allowed to be with.

That didn't stop him from thinking about her constantly, or making up excuses to spend more time with her department than any of the others that he oversaw, or volunteering his free time to help with her parks projects.

That's probably what infuriated Ben the most about their situation. He already felt very strongly about her, and he doubted that entering into a physical relationship with her would bias him any more than he already was.

To be fair, Ben was a very ethical person, and he never did anything untoward or abuse his position to favor the parks department, but his feelings for Leslie might have made him more inclined to say yes to a proposal or two that he otherwise might have deemed too risky or a waste of funds.

At the same time, he saw the rationale behind the rule, not so much for the issue of favoritism, but the appearance of it. Leslie's projects have been wildly successful despite their risk, and she has received quite a bit of notoriety over the past few months as a result. The last thing he wanted was for everyone to think that she achieved what she did by sleeping with her boss, even if they weren't together at the time. Just the fact that they at some point were in a relationship would call her entire career into question, and he couldn't do that to her.

At least, he thought he couldn't. Ugh, it was all so frustrating. On the one hand, he saw every reason why their relationship would be a bad idea, but on the other, he just couldn't change how he felt.  God knows he tried, but it was no use. With every reason he found as to why they shouldn't be together, he found ten more that said they should.

After what happened earlier, he knew now more than ever that she felt the same way about him, and as soon as he could build up the courage, he would talk to her. It was her career at stake, not his. Yes, he loved his job, but he took it to stay in Pawnee; to stay with her. He would find some other job in the area if he had to. It was all up to her now.

Ben was sitting at his desk, lost in his thoughts, when he heard Leslie's familiar footsteps echoing through his open door.

"Hey," she said quietly as she gently knocked, "you ready to go?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, I'm ready. Guess you didn't need my call after all."

"Nope, I think he was just ready to get it over with," she said with a laugh, "but I could tell he was pleasantly surprised."

"Well, that's good. I knew he would be. I told you, that's Ron heaven," he said as he stood up to walk towards his door. "Now, I don't know about you, but I am pretty famished and spending that much time near steak and bacon certainly didn't help,"

"Tell me about it," Leslie replied. "I'm surprised Ron didn't hear my stomach rumbling the entire time we were talking."

"I'm pretty sure he got tunnel vision the second you sat him in front of his dinner."

"True."

The pair walked through the abandoned halls of City Hall in a somewhat awkward silence, both unsure how to behave after their earlier encounter in the conference room.

"So, I've never actually eaten at Sullivan's before. What would you recommend?" Ben asked, trying to fill the silence that grew between them.

"They aren't really known for their desserts, which is a major bummer for me, but I usually just get a burger and fries. Their burgers aren't Ron Swanson caliber," she said with a small chuckle, "but their steak fries are to die for."

"Burgers and fries, the perfect greasy food to coat the stomach before drinking. Reminds me of college."

"Why, Ben Wyatt, were you a partier back in the day?" Leslie asked with a teasing grin, their previous awkwardness melting away.

"Hardly. Unless you count all night drinking sessions while we played Dungeons and Dragons a party."

"No way," Leslie said with a giggle. "You played Dungeons and Dragons? Oh, my God, that is so adorable."

"Yeah, well, most girls my age didn't think so," he replied with a grin, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Then that was their loss. I bet they'd be kicking themselves if they saw you now."

"I'm sure. Lanky Benji Wyatt the accounting student and D&D extraordinaire grew up to be lanky Ben Wyatt, Assistant City Manager of Pawnee, Indiana and Nationally ranked Settlers of Catan player," he said with a wry grin.

"Stop it, I mean it," Leslie said with a laugh, gently shoving Ben in the shoulder. "We've all had our awkward college years, but I think we turned out pretty alright," she said, the pair of them stopping in front of the exit doors

"I'm not sure a lot of people can say that they've accomplished nearly half of what you have. I'd say you turned out a lot better than alright," he responded with a flirtatious grin, his body having moved just a bit into her personal space.

"Same to you," she replied mirroring his smile, angling her body forward just enough to decrease the distance between them.

Just then, Leslie's stomach let out an audible growl and the pair burst into laughter. "Well, I think that is a sign to get you fed. Uhm, if you want, I can drive us both over there, that way you don't have to worry about watching what you drink as you and Lindsay catch up. I wholeheartedly volunteer to be the night's designated driver. Besides, I'm bigger than you are and can sober up a lot faster."

"Now, that is some logic that I just can't argue with. Sounds like a plan. Lead the way."

Upon arriving a Sullivan's, Ben waited for Leslie as she got out of the car and they walked up together, Ben opening the door for her and hovering close to her, his hand subconsciously grazing over the small of her back. To anyone who didn't know any better, they looked like a regular couple enjoying a night out together.

Scanning the bar, Leslie finally spotted Lindsay, who was looking around nervously as she sipped her martini, clearly uncomfortable to be in a Pawnee bar alone.

Lindsay breathed a sigh of relief as she caught Leslie's eye, noticing that she hadn't come alone, but brought that Assistant City Manager with her. What was his name? Dan? Ben? Something like that.

"Hey, Lindsay. Sorry we're a little late. We got caught up at City Hall. You remember Ben Wyatt, the Assistant City Manager, right?" Leslie called out, the bar particularly loud and busy at that time of night.

"Yes, Ben, of course, I remember."

"Hi, Lindsay," Ben said somewhat uncomfortably with a wave of his hand. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well, thank you. It's, uhm, certainly been a long time since I've been here."

"We used to come here all of the time after work," Leslie supplied to Ben, who simply nodded at the new information.

"Yes, we definitely did," Lindsay responded. "It seems like a lifetime ago, now," she said, her voice wistful and reminiscent.

"Hey, we didn't come here to get all sad and depressed over the past. We came to have a good time and catch up," Leslie chimed in cheerfully. "Do you mind if we move to a booth? Ben and I haven't eaten yet, and we're starving."

"No, not at all."

"Hey, why don't you get a booth and try to flag down one of the servers while I order our first round?" Ben suggested to Leslie, his mouth dangerously close to ear so that his voice could be heard over the ruckus at the bar.

"Sure, sounds good. Get me a beer?"

"No problem. Lindsay, did you want anything?"

"No, thank you. I'm fine for now," she responded before following Leslie to an empty booth.

Sitting across from Leslie, Lindsay glanced back over at the bar, watching as Ben ordered their drinks.

"So what's the deal with you and the Assistant City Manager?" she asked Leslie immediately, having always been nosey about Leslie's boyfriends when the two were close.

"Ben? Oh, nothing. We're just, uh, you know, work colleagues and friends. You know, the usual completely platonic type of friends who do things together like eat dinner or go drink a few beers. Nothing remotely romantic or anything like that. I personally don't even find him that attractive, to be honest. We just like to, you know, eat together and stuff," she rambled nervously, Lindsay's knowing smirk telling Leslie that she was doing a very poor job of convincing her that there was nothing going on between the two of them.

"Uh huh," Lindsay said unconvinced, her head nodding slowly. "It may have been five years since we last saw each other, but remember, I know you Leslie, and you're still a terrible liar, especially when it comes to men. So, spill. The sexual tension is so thick I could cut it with a knife."

Looking over to the bar nervously, Leslie saw that Ben was still waiting. He caught her eye and shot her a small smile and wave, one that Leslie reciprocated.

"Okay, so the truth is that Ben and I kind of like each other, I think. I don't know, it's complicated, but the bottom line is that he's technically my boss, and there is a very strict rule about employee/employer relationships."

"And..."

"And? There is no and, Lindsay. If we date and got caught, we both could lose our jobs."

"Oh, please, as long as he's smart enough to not play favorites, no one will do anything. Most people don't really care about those rules anyway."

"You don't know our boss, Chris. He is _very_ serious about this. He and Ben have been friends for years, and when Ben expressed interest in dating one of his employees, Chris objected immediately. He won't just let this go," Leslie said, her shoulders sagging in defeat.

"Okay, so don't be obvious about it, and sneak around for a while. The way you two behave, I'm sure people are already starting to think something's up, so you might as well enjoy it. Just don't do anything stupid that will give them any proof."

"I can't believe that you are trying to convince me to go behind Chris' back and date Ben!"

"What would you expect me to do? You have a nice, pretty decent looking guy who obviously cares about you. If there is anything that I have learned working in Eagleton, it's how to enjoy life. Work isn't everything, Leslie. Don't let it stand in the way of your happiness."

Whatever retort Leslie had died on her lips as Ben slid into the booth next to her and placed her beer on the table.

"Have you seen a server yet?" Ben asked, taking a sip of his beer.

"Huh? Oh, no, not yet, "Leslie said absentmindedly, distracted by her own thoughts as she chewed on Lindsay's words.

"Hmm," Ben muttered contemplatively, searching the room in hopes to flag down a server. Finally, a young woman makes her way to the table.

"Hi, guys. Welcome to Sullivan's. Did any of you want to look at a menu?"

Ben and Leslie exchanged glances, both of them already knowing what they were going to order.

"Uhm, no, I think we already know what we want," Leslie answered. "Did you want one, Lindsay?"

"No, I, uh, already ate before coming."

"Okay," Leslie shrugged before looking back to the server, "I'll have the Sullivan's Burger medium rare with steak fries and extra pickles on the side."

"And I'll have the same," Ben said with a polite smile, his arm moving behind Leslie's head to rest along the top of the seat.

"Alright, I'll put those orders right in for you. Just let me know if there is anything else I can get you."

The group said their thank you's as the server left, the table plunged into an awkward silence.

Deciding to prod just a bit, Lindsay initiated conversation, attempting to learn more about this Ben Wyatt.

"So, Ben, tell me about yourself. I don't remember you around City Hall, so you must be fairly new."

"Oh, uhm, well, I first came to Pawnee about a year ago as a state auditor with my partner, Chris."

"Oh, yes, I remember hearing about the Pawnee government shutdown last year," Lindsay cut in, her Eagleton snobbery beginning to show until she saw Leslie's warning gaze. "Sorry, continue."

"Well, Chris and I were called in to fix Pawnee's budget, and then with the upcoming Harvest Festival, we got an extension to stick around until that was completed. Not long after, the previous City Manager suffered a heart attack and resigned, and Chris took his place. He offered me a job as Assistant City Manager, so here I am," he finished with a small smile, taking another sip of his beer.

"Wow, so you just quit your other job to stay in a city that you barely knew. Interesting," she said, shooting Leslie a knowing glance.

"Yeah, I, uh, really fell in love with Pawnee," he said as glanced at Leslie out of the corner of his eye. "I was getting sick and tired of moving around all of the time, and I thought here would be a great place to settle down."

Lindsay just nodded, and Leslie could practically hear the wheels turning in her head.

"And what about you, Leslie? I remember hearing about the Harvest Festival. I'm not going to lie, I was certainly jealous of you for that one. I can't believe you brought it back after all of these years."

"Well, it was pretty much the only thing that I could think of that could generate enough revenue to save the department." At Lindsay's confused glance, Leslie elaborated.

"So, the town's budget was pretty much nonexistent when Ben and Chris came in, and the only way to save the Parks budget and have everyone keep their jobs was to think of a project that would generate a lot of money. So, I pitched that we bring back the Harvest Festival."

"Yeah, but there is no way that a town with no budget would approve a risky project like that without some kind of collateral. How did you convince them to go for it?"

Leslie and Ben exchanged a quick glance, Leslie lowering her head, reluctant to answer.

"So, Leslie and the rest of the department came to me and Chris with this crazy idea to bring back the Harvest Festival. You're right, we didn't want to put money into a risky project like that without some kind of guarantee, so she risked the department."

"You what?" Lindsay cried out, shocked by what she just heard. "You mean to tell me that everyone was okay with that? Risking their jobs for the Harvest Festival?"

Leslie shrugged her shoulders modestly, "Yup. We knew it was the only way to save everyone's jobs, and we had faith that it would work, and it did."

Lindsay sat back against the seat, letting out a deep breath. "Wow, I gotta say that I'm impressed, Leslie. That was no small feat."

"Well, it wasn't just me. I had a lot of help from my team, and of course, Ben here really pulled through."

Ben simply rolled his eyes and shook his head slightly. "She's just being modest. I didn't do much except say yes and then watch her work her magic."

"Oh, please," Leslie retorted with a smile, "how many times do I have to tell you that you did just as much as I did with the Harvest Festival. Don't listen to him," she said to Lindsay, "he's the modest one. He helped me out every step of the way."

"That seems a little out of the scope of the role of a state auditor," Lindsay prodded, having enjoyed watching their flirtatious exchange.

"I guess so, but I just really wanted them to succeed. Their whole department was on the line, and I had a lot of faith in Leslie, so I wanted to do what I could to help," he said with a shrug, not noticing Leslie's look of appreciation.

Leslie's look, of course, did not go unnoticed by Lindsay. Oh, Leslie had it bad, she thought to herself.

Hearing all of these stories reminded Lindsay of why she and Leslie were so close those several years ago. Leslie was, and still remained, an amazing person who was brilliant at her job.

That was the main reason that Lindsay decided to take the job in Eagleton. She was tired of living in Leslie's shadow. Looking back, she realized how selfish and wrong she had been. She would never be as good as Leslie Knope, and for the first time in over five years, Lindsay was fine with that.

Truth be told, she missed her old friend, and hoped that they could start to repair their broken relationship. In the meantime, Lindsay was going to do what she could to nudge Ben and Leslie in the right direction.  
  
  
Read Part 2 [Here](http://zarrati.livejournal.com/5165.html)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Leslie and Ben got together at the end of "Eagleton"?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is based on the prompt "Eagleton AU in which they kiss/hook up at the end of that episode"

Three beers and half of a hamburger later, the conversation at the booth turned lighter, Ben and Leslie telling Lindsay more stories about the Harvest Festival and the several interesting events that lead up to it.

Leslie, who was getting a little buzzed, was laughing almost uncontrollably as she attempted to tell Lindsay about Ben's disastrous media appearances while promoting the Harvest Festival.

"And then-and then he lifts up his shirt and is showing Perd, along with allllll of Pawnee his birthmark and the scar he got when he fell off his bicycle when he was nine," she manages to choke out before another fit of laughter overtakes her.

Lindsay laughed along with her friend, intrigued by the story, and Ben was chuckling as well, despite his small look of embarrassment.

"And don't forget to mention that as he was signing off, I dubbed him with his new nickname, Turd Crapley. Ingenious, I know," he said with a grin, Leslie's laughs growing even stronger.

"Oh, my God, I almost forgot about that. That was hilarious," she said burying her face in his shoulder as she tried to control her laughter, Ben's smile about the story turning into a look of affection as he stared down at Leslie.

"So, it seemed like you earned the Human Disaster title fair and square," Lindsay joked, thoroughly enjoying herself.

"Unfortunately, yes," Ben smirked, looking down again at Leslie as her laughter subsided.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized, "I forgot how funny that all was."

"Well, I'm glad my humiliation and suffering is so amusing to you," Ben said with mock offense, his smile betraying him.

"Oh, please, I know you're over it. Don't even try to get pity from me," she teased, stealing a fry from Ben's plate.

"Hey, those are mine. Just because you ate all of yours, doesn't mean that you get to take mine, too," Ben admonished lightly.

Leslie stuck out her tongue mischievously before stealing another fry. "And how are you planning on stopping me, Wyatt?"

"Don't think I won't steal your pickles, Leslie," he threatened.

Leslie gasped and narrowed her eyes at him. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me," he challenged with a flirtatious smirk, moving his face closer to hers.

The pair stared at each other for several seconds, their playful banter suddenly turning more serious as their eyes grew dark.

Although enjoying the exchange, Lindsay cleared her throat loudly to remind them of her presence, the pair jumping apart at the interruption.

Lindsay knew that it was getting late, but she still had one more card up her sleeve. She knew that it was dirty, but sometimes you needed to play a little dirty to get what you want.

"So, Leslie, I didn't see Mark at all when I was there. Is he still working as a city planner?"

Leslie froze at the mention of Mark's name, having had very strong feelings for him the last time she and Lindsay had spoken.

Ben noticed a change in Leslie's demeanor as well, now very intrigued as to who this Mark person was and why Leslie reacted the way that she did.

"Oh, no, uh, he took a job in the private sector last year. I haven't seen him since, actually," she said stiffly, now toying with the label on her beer bottle.

"Uhm, who's Mark?" Ben asked nonchalantly, hoping that he didn't sound as uneasy as he felt.

"Mark Brendanawicz. He used to be a Pawnee city planner," Leslie answered quickly before Lindsay could jump in. "You actually offered him the buyout that he took."

Ben wracked his brain trying to come up with a face to match the name. Truthfully, he offered a lot of people buyouts, and it was difficult to keep them all straight in his mind. City planner, city planner. Oh, he remembered him. Handsome, kinda built guy (well, built compared to him), with some pretty decent hair.

"Oh, okay, yeah, I  _vaguely_  remember him."

"Did anything ever happen between you two?" Lindsay asked, noticing Leslie's face get even paler. Oh, so maybe bringing Mark up wasn't such a good idea, Lindsay thought to herself.

"Me and Mark? No way. He, uh, he actually dated Ann for a while. It got pretty serious at one point. He proposed to her and everything, but it didn't work out and he left last year. Like I said, haven't seen him since. Wow, look at the time. It's really getting late.  I'm just gonna run to the whiz palace real quick and then we can leave. Is that okay, Ben? Can we leave?" At his confused nod of affirmation, Leslie excused herself, Ben standing up so Leslie could get out.

"Well, that was  _not_  what I was expecting," Lindsay said guiltily, Ben still looking at Leslie's retreating form in confusion.

"Do you know what that was about?" Ben asked as he sat back down.

Lindsay wrung her hands, debating whether or not to be truthful, but figured that at this point it could only help the situation.

"Please don't tell Leslie that I told you this, but she and Mark had a one night stand several years ago. I don't think it meant anything to him, but Leslie pined over him for years. I mean, she was smitten, and it was actually kind of heartbreaking to watch. I don't know what happened after I left, but by the way she reacted, I don't think it was the best. I wasn't trying to drudge up anything horrible, I was just curious. I mean, I know you two are kind of a thing, so I doubted she still had much to do with him anyway."

"Oh, no, we aren't, you know, together or anything," Ben tried to clarify, but Lindsay stared at him incredulously.

"Don't bother. I already had this conversation with Leslie, and I know about this rule that has you both so scared. I understand your concern, but you shouldn't let this stand in your way. I've tried to forget how amazing Leslie is because of my own jealousy, but even after all of these years, I still know that she deserves to be happy. She hasn't really had the best luck with guys, and it was sad to see so many horrible jerks break her heart in the worst possible ways. One guy broke up with her via skywriting, for Christ's sake.

"I don't know you, and it's really been years since Leslie and I were close, but people like her don't usually change all that much; she's still caring, passionate, and obsessed with her work. I know how much she likes you, and how much she fears for her job." Sighing, Lindsay watched as Leslie came out of the bathroom and walked towards them.

"I don't know. All I'm trying to say is please, don't break her heart. Enough people, including myself, have done that to her more than enough times, and she never deserved it. Let her see that she can be happy with you, rule or no rule."

Ben also moved his gaze to follow Leslie as she crossed the room. "I'll try, Lindsay," he said without ever taking his eyes off of Leslie, "I'll really try."

Leslie came back to the table only seconds later, still a bundle of nervous energy. "Hey, you ready to go?"

"Uh, yeah, I was just gonna pay the check and then we can go," Ben said softly, now saddened and concerned because of her previous reaction.

"Oh, please, let me take care of the check," Lindsay insisted, reaching for her wallet.

"Oh, no, you don't have to," Ben began to say but was cut off by Lindsay.

"It's the least I could do after everything that has happened these last few days. Consider it a congratulations on your wiffle ball league."

Ben looked over to Leslie who just shrugged, still very eager to leave. "Alright, thanks Lindsay."

"Don't mention it. Thank you both for tonight. I really enjoyed myself," she said as she placed the bills on the table. "Uh, Ben? Do you mind if I have a few words with Leslie in private before you both leave?"

Ben looked a bit shocked, but quickly agreed, hoping that whatever Lindsay had to say would improve Leslie's mood.

"Sure, no problem. It was nice to see you again, Lindsay. Take care."

"Thanks, you as well," she said with a genuine smile.

"I'll be waiting in the car, okay Leslie?" he said with a gentle squeeze on her arm before leaving the bar.

"Look, Leslie, I'm really sorry if bringing up Mark upset you. I wasn't trying to bring up any bad memories or anything."

Leslie's face softened at her friend's apology. "I know. You couldn't have possibly known what happened. I'm sorry that I reacted the way I did. I don't know, I guess it's still a sore subject for me. I mean, I am completely over him, like ten thousand percent over, but it still hurts a little. Wasting so many years pining over someone to then have him fall in love with your best friend, I guess it takes a while to completely recover."

"I understand, but you know what? There is a really nice guy waiting for you in his car who I'm pretty sure thinks you are the greatest thing on this earth. I know how much your job means to you, but trust me when I say that no job is worth sacrificing your personal happiness. After a while, it stops feeling as special when you don't have anyone to come home to.  Keep it a secret, at least for now, and see what happens. He could be the one you've been waiting for, but you'll never know unless you give it a chance."

Leslie pulled her friend into a tight hug, grateful for her few words of encouragement. "Thank you, Lindsay. It feels really good to have you back."

"It feels good to be back," she said genuinely as they pulled apart. "And thank you for coming out tonight, really. I'm sorry for what I did to you over the last few days and five years ago. I was so jealous of you," she confessed with a sad smile, "and I thought that this was my chance to prove myself and step out of your shadow, but instead, I forgot about why I started in parks to begin with. After what I saw today, though, your determination and those kids playing together, it reminded me why we do what we do. So, thank you. You've earned all of the respect and admiration that you have, but don't forget, you've also more than earned the right to be happy. Don't miss out."

"I'll try. Don't be a stranger, now. Next time you're going to be in Pawnee, give me a call," Leslie said with a smile.

"I definitely will. Maybe you'll see me at a few of the wiffle ball games. You know, support Team Eagleton as they crush Team Pawnee," Lindsay said jokingly, her eyes smiling.

"You're on, Carlisle-Shay."

The pair stepped out of the bar and made their way to the parking lot, Lindsay waving to Ben as she walked past his car towards her Cadillac.

Leslie tried to compose herself before facing Ben, now determined more than ever to talk everything over with him and settle this issue once and for all.

"Hey," Ben said softly as Leslie sat herself in the passenger seat, "everything okay?"

"Yeah," she said reassuringly, "we just talked about some stuff, she apologized for everything, and we are going to try to see more of each other again."

"That's really great, Leslie. I'm glad you two were able to work everything out. When she's not wearing that Eagleton facade, she seems like a nice person."

"She is, she really is," Leslie said thoughtfully.

The two sat in silence for a few moments before Ben spoke again. "So, you ready to go? Did you want me to take you to your car or drop you off at home?"

Gathering her courage, Leslie took a deep, steadying breath, finally ready to come clean with Ben once and for all.

"Actually, do you mind if we talk for a minute? There are a few things that I want to get off of my chest," she said nervously, her hands shaking slightly.

"No, of course, I don't mind. You can tell me anything," he replied sincerely, part of him concerned about what was bothering her, but his heart was racing wildly at the thought of what she might want to talk about.

"Huh, now that I finally have the nerve to talk, I'm not even sure how to begin," she laughed nervously, her voice cracking just the smallest bit.

"Take your time," Ben encouraged gently. "I don't have anywhere to be except right here."

Leslie gave him a grateful smile, her decision becoming clearer with every second that passed.

"Well, I guess I'll start with Mark, because if I were you, I'd be dying to know more about this mystery guy that made me freak out like I did.

"As you know, Mark was the city planner and about 8 years ago, we had a one night stand. It meant nothing to him, but it impacted me a lot. I pined after him for years. Looking back on it, I can't really believe it. I mean he had a reputation for being a ladies' man, and he showed absolutely no interest in me whatsoever, but that didn't matter.

"It's funny because if this had happened to anyone else, I would have told them from the beginning to let it go and not waste so much time on a guy who obviously didn't think of her in a romantic way, but it's ironic how some can never follow their own advice. Anyway, he eventually showed an interest in Ann, which crushed me, but it wasn't until then that I realized how much time I had wasted on him. He would never be happy with me, but he and Ann could be happy together, so who was I to begrudge them that."

"Do you, uh, do you still have feelings for him?"

"No, definitely not," she assured him. "I think I was infatuated with the idea of him more than anything. Looking back on it logically, we weren't compatible at all, and it wouldn't have ever worked. I know it probably seems really weird that I'm telling you all of this, but believe me, I have my reasons," she laughed nervously, noticing Ben's confused but attentive face.

"Talking with Lindsay and bringing up Mark and everything made me realize something. At the time, it killed me whenever I saw him with someone else. Even though a part of me knew nothing would ever happen, some of me still held onto a false hope. I'm sick and tired of wanting someone that I can't have," she confessed, purposely looking over to catch Ben's eyes, his gaze expectant and understanding.

"But I'm not gonna do that again. I'm not going to pine after someone from afar and watch as it slowly eats away at me, especially when I can do something about it this time. I know we haven't really talked about it, and I hope I'm not jumping to any conclusions, but I really, really like you, Ben, and I know that we can get into trouble with Chris, but I just can't keep doing this to myself." Her voice cracked as she started to fight back tears.

"I don't want to look back on this and kick myself for not at least giving us a try because I was afraid. I like my job, but I like you, too, and I don't want to have to choose. But, I know it isn't just my career on the line, so I completely understand if you're hesitant. I just needed to get everything off of my chest and let you know how I feel," she looked at him expectantly, both excited and scared as to what his response would be.

The brief silence felt like hours for Leslie, even though it couldn't have been more than five or so seconds, Ben's face a mixture of emotions as he mentally mulled over her words.

Then, suddenly, just as Leslie was beginning to worry, Ben lunged over the middle console and attached his lips to hers, his hands immediately taking residence in her soft, blond curls. The kiss was gentle at first, but quickly grew in intensity as the two released months of pent up frustration, Leslie readily opening her mouth in response to Ben's eager tongue.

Ben couldn't put into words the emotions pulsing through him at that moment, Leslie's confession having filled him with so much hope that he couldn't contain himself. The feel of her soft lips against his was even better than he could have imagined, his fingers nestled in her hair as Leslie's hand caressed the side of his face. She greedily accepted his invitation.

The couple eventually stopped for air, Ben resting his forehead against Leslie's as he struggled to catch his breath, inhaling her intoxicating fragrance.

"I can't tell you how many times a tried to work up the courage to talk to you about this, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I know how much your job means to you, and I don't want to risk that. Now, please, before this goes any further, are sure that you want this, because there is no going back for me."

"Definitely. We just have to be careful and not get caught. It's risky, but I don't care anymore. You're worth it."

With that, Leslie leaned forward to reclaim Ben's lips with her own. This kiss was less frantic than before, much more gentle but just as passionate, filled with promise and hope.

"Come home with me," she whispered against his lips, gently nipping at them as she spoke.

His eyes grew darker at her request, having dreamt a million times that she would say those words to him.

"God, yes," he breathed against her. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive," she assured. "We've waited long enough."

Ben pulled Leslie in for one more searing kiss before starting the engine, his right hand never leaving Leslie's grasp the entire trip.

Leslie fixed her gaze on Ben as he drove, a content smile never leaving her face. He would occasionally raise her hand to his lips and place a chaste kiss across her knuckles, the sincerity of the gesture tugging at Leslie's heart.

Leslie was surprised that she didn't feel the level of fear or anxiety that she had expected upon reaching this decision.

It would have only been normal to at least feel some apprehension given the circumstances. They were about to do something that would affect both of their lives both personally and professionally.

But despite all of this, Leslie felt completely calm, the look on Ben's face and the gentle way that his thumb was absentmindedly rubbing small circles against her wrist was all the reassurance that she needed to know that she was making the right decision.

There was no going back, and quite frankly, she didn't want to.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Leslie and Ben got together at the end of "Eagleton"?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is based on the prompt "

The sunlight streamed through Leslie's window, the warmth caressing her face as she was roused from sleep. Glancing at her clock, she saw that it was much later than her normal waking hour, even for a Saturday.

But then again, she didn't have her average night.

Leslie sighed contentedly as she closed her eyes again and nestled into Ben's chest, his arms subconsciously tightening their hold on her.

Her thoughts drifted back to the previous night, their silent but meaningful car ride to her home, their frantic exchange of kisses as they stumbled up her stairs, clothing flying everywhere.

The way he made love to her.

Just thinking about it sent shivers down her spine. After the inevitable, but brief, first time awkwardness, they quickly found their rhythm, his hands and mouth worshipping her body as he moved within her, pushing her over the edge with an earth shattering cry.

Leslie has had her fair share of lovers in the past, but there was something so different about Ben. He wasn't the strongest, tallest, or most endowed man that she has been with, and he certainly didn't pull any moves that were out of this world, but for some reason, it was some of the best sex that she ever had.

She couldn't quite put her finger on it either. Yes, he was attentive, giving, intuitive, but it was more than that. She just felt this _connection_ with him. Even she had to admit that it sounded like some crap out of a romance novel, but it was the truth.

She briefly wondered if this was what it's like when you find your soul mate.

Whoa, where did that come from? Even if such a thing existed, it was definitely too soon to tell. They hadn't even started dating yet. You can't possibly know that you've found your "soul mate" after just one night, could you?

Maybe this was what April and Andy were talking about.

Leslie's fingers began absentmindedly toying with the fine hairs on Ben's chest as she got lost in thought. Her actions must have disturbed Ben, who let out small groan of pleasure at her ministrations, his lips dropping small kisses on the top of her head as his hands moved to caress her bare back.

"Sorry I woke you up," Leslie said apologetically, placing chaste kiss on Ben's chest.

"Don't apologize," he said, his voice rough from sleep. "It's the best way I've woken up in months. Did you sleep well?"

She nodded her head in affirmation, looking up at him with an aroused smirk. "Best night's sleep I've had in quite a while. You're  much better than my Daniel Craig body pillow."

"Glad to hear it," he said with an amused chuckle.

"So, today is Saturday," she said nonchalantly.

"It is."

"Which means no work."

"It does."

"And my schedule is completely open."

"Mine too."

"Are you capable of giving more than two word responses?" she glared at him.

"I am."

"Ben!" Leslie whined as she slapped him playfully on the chest at his cheeky remark.

He let out a deep, throaty laugh that made Leslie shiver with desire.

"Well, I am capable, but there are just several other things that my mouth would rather be doing right now." And with that, he dropped his mouth to hers, his tongue readily entering her parted lips.

Leslie repositioned herself, moving her head from its place near Ben's chest so that her face was now level with his own. Her hands began to caress his body as they continued to exchange lazy but passionate kisses, Ben's hand moving to gently stroke her jaw.

Her movements caused the sheet that was tucked around her torso to fall low on her hips, her chest now completely exposed. Ben traced a path down her neck and shoulder with his fingers before moving to one of Leslie's breasts, circling her nipple with an almost imperceptible touch until it was hard and erect.

Their lips remained attached for what felt like a blissful eternity, only briefly parting as Leslie released soft moans and erotic sighs of pleasure into the air. Ben's hand navigated its way up and down his new lover's body, still trying to map her, memorize her, find which spots made her writhe with pleasure.

Ben's exploration of her caused Leslie's hairs to stand on end, each brush of his fingers against her breast, her ribs, her hip, her stomach, sending a rush of wetness between her thighs. His hand eventually slipped beneath the sheet, tracing nonsensical patterns across her pelvis and upper thigh.

Leslie held a breath of anticipation against Ben's lips as he toyed with the small patch of hair between her legs, his fingers dancing tantalizingly close to her entrance, basking in the warmth emanating from her.

He teased her to the point of frustration, touching her everywhere except where she wanted it most. Just as she was about to whimper in protest, he circled her clit before slowly burying a finger inside of her, his mouth swallowing her gasp.

Ben's thumb gently brushed Leslie's swollen nub with each thrust of his index finger, his middle finger soon following suit, pumping in and out of her at an increasing pace.

Leslie's hips bucked against his hand as Ben's tongue moved against hers in time with his fingers. He continued to hasten his speed, putting more delicious pressure against her clit with each pass of his hand, causing Leslie to release Ben's lips and bury her face into her pillow.

Ben took this opportunity to taste the pale flesh of her exposed neck, alternating between soft nips and sucks against her skin.

Ben could hear her breathing increase and just before driving her completely over, his hand left its place between Leslie's thighs and traveled to the small of her back before massaging the curve of her ass, pulling her pelvis towards him so she could feel his own arousal.   

Leslie's lips once again sought out Ben's, and as the kiss escalated, she moved to straddle his waist. This new position allowed her to properly run her fingers through is mussed hair and grind herself against his stomach.

Leslie could feel Ben's erection pressing against her, and she purposely wiggled her ass to create just the slightest amount of friction, eliciting a sharp hiss from the man beneath her.

Ben's hands immediately flew to back and sides before trailing up her stomach to her breasts, cupping them in his hands and rolling her nipples between his fingertips, Leslie gasping into Ben's mouth at the sensations.

Ben trailed his fingers painfully slow and with a feather-light touch down the length of Leslie's upper body once again, his hands stopping at her waist and gripping the flesh of her ass, pushing her deliciously wet center harder against him.

Leslie threw her head back in response to the friction between her thighs, her clit throbbing with arousal.

Growing impatient, Leslie moved to reclaim Ben's lips with her own as she simultaneously slid her hips lower on his waist, firmly coming into contact with his pulsating erection. Sitting up, Leslie reached behind her to grasp Ben firmly and pump him several times, deliberately brushing her thumb over the head of his cock with each pass.

She could feel Ben shift beneath her, his hold tightening on her in preparation to flip them over. However, Leslie released her grasp on Ben and pushed both hands against his chest, forcing him still. She lowered her face to his, their noses touching as she stared into his eyes.

"You took control last night, and it was amazing, but now it's my turn," she said softly but with such authority that it made Ben's cock twitch, his only response to wordlessly nod his head as he swallowed hard and licked his lips.

Leslie broke out into a sultry smile before leaning in for a quick kiss, catching his lower lip between her teeth and tugging playfully. Her lips then trailed down the length of Ben's neck and chest, her tongue paying special attention to each of his nipples.

Leslie couldn't help the smug little grins that light up her face with each sharp gasp and groan that Ben released, occasionally looking up at him as she traveled down his body. Her tongue followed the line of hair to his pelvis, placing several small kisses against his hipbones before grabbing a hold of him once more.

She pumped him, gently at first, before gradually increasing the strength of her grasp, Leslie seeing Ben's chest rise and fall at an increasing speed as she continued to pleasure him. She slowed her movements before taking him into her mouth, Ben releasing a low moan as he felt her hot breath surround him.

Leslie kept her movements sluggish at first, but varied the force of her sucks and the grip of her hand that remained at the base of his cock. With each agonizingly slow move of her mouth over him, she would swirl her tongue around his head, causing Ben to grip the sheets below him so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Her unhurried movements were driving him crazy, and the urge to thrust his hips to increase their pace was so strong that Ben almost lost control of himself several times.

"God, Leslie, go faster, please," he pleaded, not sure how much more of her slow pace he could handle.

Leslie just looked up at him with a devious twinkle in her eye, and shook her head slowly.

The sight of Leslie looking up at him with that glint in her eyes and his dick in her mouth became too much, and Ben slammed his head against the pillow and squeezed his eyes shut, calling on every ounce of control that he had to not explode at that moment, that image forever ingrained into his mind's eye.

Leslie continued her slow, deliberate movements, occasionally cupping his testicles in her free hand. Just when she could tell that Ben was getting close, she backed off, decreasing the intensity of her actions until she eventually released him from her mouth, wiping away the excess saliva from around her lips.

She crawled back up his body and hovered over him, Ben opening his eyes to gaze up at her as the loose, untamed curls framed her gorgeous face. His hand moved to cup her cheek delicately and run his thumb back and forth in a soothing motion, his mind almost unable to process the reality of their current situation.

They didn't speak; they didn't have to, their eyes silently communicating every emotion that mere words couldn't express, their thankfulness that they finally had the courage to take this final step.

Leslie ran a light finger over the contours of his face, his brow, his cheekbones, his nose, his lips, as if she were committing every aspect of his appearance to memory. She lowered her lips to his in order to exchange several more passionate kisses before reaching between them to once again grab his cock.

She rubbed him back and forth over her entrance before sinking herself onto him inch by inch, her soft, wet heat enveloping every bit of him in a silky embrace. Ben's hands immediately traveled down her back to grip her ass, moving in time with her hips as she slowly rocked against him.

The pair continued to exchange slow, intimate kisses as Leslie moved over him, her hips never once increasing their speed. Ben's head was spinning at the sensations, her movements so measured and deliberate that he could feel every inch of her as she gripped him, the intensity building so painfully slow that he wasn't able to stand it.

He bucked his pelvis up in an attempt to quicken their speed, but Leslie simply smiled against his mouth and lowered a hand to still his hips.

"I told you," she said smugly, nipping his lips between words, "it's my turn to take control. Just trust me and follow my rhythm." She moved her lips so they were hovering dangerously close to his ear. "I'll make it worth your while, trust me," she whispered seductively before pulling his lobe into her mouth, her hips resuming their slow and torturous movements over him.

She trailed kisses from his ear back to his face before placing her hands on Ben's chest and slightly elevating herself, Ben taking advantage of this new position to raise his head in order to lavish her breasts. Leslie gasped at the sensation, and one of her hands instinctively moved to bury itself into his hair, holding his mouth against her.

Leslie continued her agonizing pace despite the distractions, his cock sliding in and out of her effortlessly as her juices coated him, the sounds of their lovemaking echoing within the room in a harmonic ensemble.

Leslie's thighs were starting to burn from her movements, but she forced herself to ignore the pain; the slow and steady pace gradually building her orgasm that was coiling deep within her belly. She could tell Ben was struggling to restrain himself, his hips bucking involuntarily against her every so often.

It was a well known fact that Leslie was _not_ a patient person, and probably 99% of the time, she liked her sex fast and intense, unwilling to prolong her release any more than necessary. However, there was something to be said for lazy, early morning lovemaking. The buildup was slow and almost always exasperating, but God, the reward was so worth it, the increased time allowing her orgasm to build and build until she simply exploded with a force that she had never gotten any other way.

Last night had been amazing, their movements frantic and spurred on by months of longing. She had urged Ben almost every step of the way, the words "faster" and "harder" flowing out of her mouth like a mantra, Ben more than willing to oblige.

But for some reason, Leslie woke the desire to take it slow, to truly connect with him, savor him, feel every inch of him inside of her.

Deep down, Leslie was afraid. She didn't know what they would face once this weekend was over, and if she was going to be honest with herself, she wanted this to last as long as possible. If these two days were the only times that she could be with Ben in this way, she wanted them to be some of the most amazing days of her life.

Between Ben's mouth on her breasts, his hands roaming her body, and the constant, slow brushing of the base of his cock against her clit, she could feel herself getting close, and it took all of her self control to not simply impale herself on him at a frantic pace.

For the most part, Ben allowed Leslie to take the lead, bucking his hips up slightly in time with hers as she lowered herself onto him, doubling the friction between them.

She bit her lip in an attempt to stifle the moans and cries that were flowing out of her, the aching within her growing and growing to an almost inexplicable height.

Leslie leaned her body forward and buried her face in the crook of Ben's neck, her moans becoming more frantic and desperate as she moved a hand to his hair, gripping and pulling as she continued to be driven to the edge. She rotated her hips at their singular speed several more times until she felt as though she couldn't hold back any more, and she steadily increased her pace.

As her movements became more frenzied, she could feel Ben losing control as well, his thrusts into her becoming wild as groans and strings of curses spilled out of his mouth. Finally, with a sharp thrust that pressed firmly against her clit, Leslie exploded, the intensity of her release so strong that she felt herself go light headed.

Ben felt Leslie stiffen above him as she came, her walls pulsating around his length with such force that he was no longer able to hold himself back.

He felt himself convulse within her, her contractions milking him for all that he was worth as he continued to grip her hips while he thrust frantically unto her, prolonging his own intense release. He could feel her go boneless above him, her body falling to covering him like a blanket as he rode out the waves of his orgasm.

Once he regained his composure, Ben moved his hands from her waist to run them up and down Leslie's back as she continued to struggle to catch her breath, his fingers gently massaging at every inch of skin that he came into contact with, and he whispered soothing words into the top of her head between brushes of his lips. He relished in the feel of her above him, her breasts against his chest and the constant weight of her a reminder of the reality of their current situation.

If it was up to him, he'd stay like this forever.

Ben shifted slightly, holding Leslie against him as he reached down to pull the quilt over their cooling bodies. He could feel Leslie's puffs of breath against his skin begin to even out as she recovered, but she had yet to move or speak.

"God, Leslie, that was amazing. You really know how to make use of a lazy Saturday morning," he said lightly, trying to elicit some kind of response from her, but she remained silent.

Ben continued to move his hands up and down her back in a soothing motion, growing concerned by her lack of response, when suddenly he felt hot tears against the crook of his neck and small tremors running through Leslie's body.

"Hey, what's wrong," he asked in a hushed tone, trying to move her to look at him, but she simply tightened her hold on him and buried her face deeper into his neck, her body shaking beneath his hands, her sniffles the only sounds filling the room.

"Shhh, it's okay," he soothed as he moved to wrap his arms firmly around her, "I'm here. It's okay."

Ben simply waited until she was ready to talk, pressing gentle kisses into her hair as her tears subsided.

"I'm sorry I cried on you," she finally spoke, her voice muffle by Ben's skin.

"No, don't apologize, Leslie. I just want to know what's wrong. Are you okay?"

He could feel her nod slightly against him, her head turning so that her mouth was no longer pressing into his neck.

"That was just so wonderful and amazing, and you're wonderful and amazing, and all I want is to stay like this forever, and I hate that we can't. I just want to pretend that the rest of the world doesn't exist, and we don't have to worry about Chris' rule, or our jobs, or anything else." She let out a shaky breath. "I don't want to lose this come Monday morning."

Somewhat floored by her confession, Ben gently shifted them so that they were both on their sides facing one another, their noses mere inches apart. He stared deeply into her red-rimmed eyes and raised his thumb to gently stroke her tear stained cheeks.

"I told you, Leslie, that I'm all in, and I meant it. You are the greatest, most amazing woman that I have ever met and nothing will change how I feel about you. So, you know what? Fuck Chris' rule, and the rest of the world. They don't get to tell us who or what makes us happy, and nothing has to change on Monday morning. Yes, it's going to be hard, and we're gonna have to sneak around and keep everything a secret, but nothing has to change. We will go into work on Monday , you're going to be amazing, as usual, and then I'm going to take you out to dinner. I don't care if we have to drive to some restaurant 30 miles away to avoid getting caught. We'll work everything out as it comes, but we deserve this."

Leslie's eyes once again welled with tears, but the smile on her face told Ben that these were the good kind of tears. These were tears of happiness, of joy, of affection, of relief. She leaned forward and captured Ben's lips with her own, moving her body so that she was flush against him.

"You're right," she said as she pulled away. "You're absolutely right. I'm sorry, I just got a bit overwhelmed there for a minute. It's just-- I haven't felt this way about someone in a really long time, and these past few hours have been so perfect, and I was scared that we would lose all of that. But you're right, nothing needs to change, and no one needs to know. We can do this. I guess I just want to stay in our little relationship bubble for as long as possible; not having to worry about anyone or anything and just focusing on us."

"And we can starting right now. We have this entire weekend to ourselves, so let's not think about work, or Chris, or anything except you and me. How does that sound?" he asked, his hand drifting down her body and settling low on her waist, his thumb tracing lazy circles against her hipbone.

Leslie raised her leg to wrap around his own, her arm sneaking its way around Ben's neck so that her fingers could immerse themselves in his disheveled hair.

"I think that sounds amazing. Now, as much as I would love to stay in this bed with you, it is _way_ later than my normal breakfast time, and all of this exercise has me famished. So, how about we go downstairs, and I make us some breakfast? Then maybe we can lounge around on my couch and make out some more before coming back upstairs. I don't know, let's play it by ear," she said with a sly grin, her leg slowly moving up and down over his.

"I think that is an excellent idea," he replied, playfully nipping at her lips. "I happen to know that the History Channel is airing a special today on the key players in the women's suffrage movement, if you're interested."

"God, nothing gets me more turned on than civil rights documentaries."

"I had hoped as much," he smirked before his eyes grew soft once again. "You are so beautiful," he whispered as he gently tucked some of her lose curls behind her ear, his finger continuing its journey down her neck.  

Leslie looked away with a bashful smile, a blush rising in her cheeks. "Thank you," she responded shyly, slowly meeting his eyes once again. She raised her hand to cup his cheek and run her fingers over his weekend stubble. "You're wonderful, and sweet, and ridiculously cute. Plus, you look amazing in my bed," she added with flirtatious grin.

"So, does that mean I get to stay over a lot?" he asked with a joking tone, but Leslie could tell that he was genuinely worried about the frequency of which these "sleepovers" would occur.

"Definitely," she smiled, "but as long as you're okay with it," she added quickly.

"I am more than okay. I'd offer my place, but with April and Andy always snooping around, the likelihood of them finding out is too high to risk it. They mean well, but I don't want this to be ruined by them accidentally blurting it out."

"Not a problem. I, uh, I like having you here," she said shyly, her grin refusing to leave her face.

"And I like being here. It's a win-win," he said mirroring her smile before leaning in to kiss her once again.

Just as their exchange was becoming more passionate, Leslie's stomach let out a rumble of protest, the pair pulling apart with a laugh.

"The second time in the last 24 hours your stomach has ruined the mood," Ben laughed.

"Well, as long as you keep me fed, we won't have any issues," she retorted, gently pecking his lips before climbing out of bed.

Ben watched mesmerized as she stood up and stretched, her naked body illuminated by the soft glow of the morning sunlight.

She bent over and picked up the first piece of clothing that she found, and it just so happened to be Ben's button down shirt.

As she walked towards the bathroom clad only in his shirt that came almost to her knees, Ben felt a stirring within him. It wasn't a sexual desire rooted in lust, but something deeper. It was affection, and happiness, and a warmth at the overall domesticity of their situation.

He didn't feel the awkwardness that can come from the morning after a first night together. He felt like he truly belonged here with her, wrapped in her sheets while she walked around in his shirt.

With a content sigh, he got out of bed and bent over to slip on his boxers just as Leslie walked out of the bathroom, Ben's bare ass facing her direction as she let out a low whistle of appreciation.

"I hope you don't think that I am objectifying you, but you have an amazing ass, and I definitely think that it and I should get more acquainted in the future," she said as she walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and settling her hands on his now boxer clad behind.

"I think the three of us can come up with an arrangement," he responded teasingly, giving her a quick kiss and tasting the minty flavor of her toothpaste.

"Mmmm. So, uh, you wouldn't happen to have an extra toothbrush around here, would you?"

"Yeah, I, uh, already left it out for you next to mine. I hope you're secure enough in your masculinity to be okay with using a pink and purple toothbrush," she joked, her smile large and infectious.

"I am _totally_ okay with that."

"Okay, good, especially considering that associating colors with gender is stupid and only driven by a completely ridiculous society. So, I'm gonna go and start the coffee and make the waffle mix. Meet me downstairs when you're ready, okay?" she said before giving Ben's butt a nice squeeze and making her way towards the door.

Before leaving, she quickly turned around, her hands fidgeting subtly. "So, I know that we agreed to not tell anyone, but would it be okay if I tell Ann? She's my very best friend in the entire universe, and she _has_ been very supportive of this happening."

"You already told her didn't you?" he asked with a knowing smile.

"Okay, so maybe I made her a video on iMovie last night while you were sleeping telling her about us," she replied guiltily.

"Leslie, that's fine. She's your friend, and I trust her to keep this a secret."

Leslie out a happy sigh of relief. "Okay, good, because I really don't think I could have kept this from her even if I tried. She'd notice something was different. I haven't been this happy in a really long time."

Ben mirrored the soft smile that graced Leslie's lips. "Me neither."

The two stared at each other for a moment before Leslie finally spoke. "Well, I'm gonna go downstairs and get breakfast started."

"Okay, I'll be down in a minute."

Ben watched Leslie as she left the room, eventually making his way to the bathroom. His heart swelled as he saw "his" toothbrush next to hers as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Truth be told, he, too, was a little worried about what they would face after this weekend, but he forced all pessimistic thoughts from his mind. He had been waiting months for this to happen, and he wasn't going to let any negativity seep into their time together.

Neither of them could predict what would happen come Monday morning, but that didn't matter. They were just going to spend this weekend together, making out, cuddling while watching the History Channel, and having as much sex as physically possible. They were going to enjoy their bubble, tucked away from the rest of the world.  
  
Ben didn't know what the future held for him and Leslie, and perhaps he was letting his emotions get ahead of him, but the thought of starting everyday like this surprisingly didn't frighten him, or make him feel uneasy.

He could see himself happy with this woman, falling in love with this woman, having a family with this woman, spending the rest of his life with this woman, and he just hoped that the universe would allow him the chance to find out for sure.  
  
But first, they would make it to Monday morning.


End file.
